LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
325 
without sometime being spent in higgling, and many complaints 
of the inadequacy of the remuneration for so great a dainty as a 
slice of musk ox beef. The pieces of the beef were laid on the 
table in the cabin before Capt. Ross, and a consultation was held 
as to the particular part of the animal from which they were cut. 
On this momentous question Mr. Mc’Diarmid w r as especially 
invited to give his opinion, as from his knowledge of anatomy, 
it was supposed that he could arrive at an immediate decision. 
Not more intently could the sapient Fellows of the Linnean 
Society examine the horned cock, which some mischievous wag 
sent to them, after having first dexterously plastered the horn 
on the head, in order to determine the species under which it 
was to be classed, than was displayed by the associates of the 
Victory, in their examination of the joints of the musk ox. No 
difficulty whatever presented itself in determining what they 
were not, as for instance, it was easy to decide that neither of 
them was the head, but it was submitted to the examinators by 
Capt. Ross, whether as one of the pieces had no bone, it would 
not be proper to come to a decision that it was a part of the but¬ 
tock. This opinion was entered into nemine contradicente, and 
the joint was accordingly delivered over to the steward to be 
immersed in water, in order that it might be thoroughly thawed 
for the ensuing Sunday’s dinner. 
It is a truism, which it does not require a fifty years experience 
in the world to see frequently confirmed, that fruition seldom 
comes up to anticipation. We can easily, in the playfulness 
of our imagination, fancy Capt. Ross and his associates in the 
cabin, anticipating the sumptuous repast which awaited them, 
from the buttock of the musk ox, which, as nine months had 
elapsed since it was cut from the animal on which it had grown, 
could not possibly be found fault with on the score that it had 
not been kept long enough, and therefore in regard to tough¬ 
ness, all fears on that point were, very properly and instantane¬ 
ously dismissed. On the sabbath morning the cook previously 
to divine service, was duly called to inspect the savoury joint, 
and by the application of the probe, he determined that it was 
just in a proper condition to be immersed in the boiling pot; 
